PANAJI
In accordance with the covid appropriate behaviour and norms, the government of Goa has decided to restart all Anganwadis in the State from July 1. Making an announcement regarding this health minister Vishwajit Rane stated that Anganwadis have been closed since the inception of the covid-19.
“We shall keep a strict vigil. We shall also ensure that a doctor conducts regular visits to these Anganwadis for thorough monitoring,” said Rane. “The decision to restart the Anganwadis has been done in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, government of Goa,” said Rane who also has the department of Women and Child Development in Goa government.
However, it is to be noted that 750 Anganwadis in the State run from rental places and the government is paying a rent of Rs 1.35 crore annually. Goa currently has 1264 Anganwadis and out of these 750 run from rental premises. There are 125 Anganwadis in the urban areas of 12 talukas that run from rental premises. Each of this Anganwadi has to pay Rs 4000 as rent per month. In rural areas, a total of 625 Anganwadis run from rental rooms and each of these have to pay a rent of Rs 1000 per month. If calculated, the annual rent of the urban Anganwadis comes to Rs 60 lakh and the rural Anganwadis have to pay a rent of Rs 75 lakh per year.
The proposal of shifting these Anganwadis to permanent places in government building or government run primary schools has been pending for a long time. The Women and Child Welfare department keeps a track of empty buildings and keeps informing the government from time to time. Accordingly the government has also shifted 223 Anganwadis to government buildings belonging to PWD and other departments. Also, 289 Anganwadis were shifted to government primary schools.
It was last year in June that a decision was taken by the government of Goa to promote refurbished usage of vacant spaces in the State and offer unused school buildings to non-profit organisations on rent, but a small fee would be charged from these social groups and welfare organisations for using these complexes.
The decision for the re-utilisation of such buildings was announced after the Chief Minister headed a meeting of the State cabinet. This year too, a similar decision was taken of allowing the vacant government school buildings to give on rent to NGOs on a nominal Rupee one rent.
